Bright by Text Offers Free Support for Families with Young Children During COVID-19 Crisis

April 13, 2020

Bright by Text Offers Free Support for Families with Young Children During COVID-19 Crisis

DENVER, April 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With current social distancing guidelines in place due to COVID-19, many parents and other caregivers of children from prenatal to age eight are cut off from vital support networks.

Bright by Text puts free early childhood education and development tools and community resources into their hands through their smartphones.

Bright by Text offers free text messages to help parents and caregivers support children prenatal to age 8.

Parents and caregivers nationwide can rest assured that they are receiving important expert-approved child development resources when they sign up by texting BRIGHT to 274448 or by filling out the form at [bit.ly/2VwnyQ3].

The service always has been and will always be free, and includes two to four text messages per week with links to tips, videos and related developmental resources based on a child's age. Subscribers can stop the text messages at any time.

With the help of Bright by Text, young children will continue learning and growing and caregivers will have the resources they need to confidently navigate this unprecedented time and beyond.

The nonprofit Bright by Text partners with trusted national expert resources like PBS, Vroom, Sesame Street, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to deliver expert-approved child development content that families can put to use at home.

"Bright by Text provides early childhood education and caregiver support even while schools, libraries and childcare centers are closed," said Jean McSpadden, president and CEO of Bright by Text. "Because we use text messages with links to online content, it is easily accessible on any smartphone. We know this method works -- 95% of Bright by Text subscribers say it makes them a more confident caregiver."

Bright by Text subscribers can choose to receive texts in English or Spanish. The tips and other information are customized based on their child's age and, where available, by their region.

"Parents and other caregivers of young children are facing unprecedented challenges as a result of COVID-19. Bright by Text provides support with educational and developmental activities or tips. Our sole mission is getting this information into the hands of adults who care for children prenatal to age eight," said McSpadden.

Bright by Text has partnered with dozens of PBS affiliates and United Way chapters across the nation, as well as other organizations, to offer this support including information about community resources for families.